Machine for forming can covers



Sept. I6, 1930. H, SEBELL 1,775,738

`MACHINE FOR FORMING GAN COVERS Filed Dec. '7, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 16,1930. H. SEBI-:LL

MACHINE FOR FORMING CAN COVERS 4 Shoah-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. '7, 1928 IvenTov. Hqrry Sebell A-TTyS.

Sept. 16, 1930. l H. sEBELL MACHINE FOR FORMING CAN COVER `4 Shoots-Sheet 3 Sept. 16, 1930. H. sEBELL 1,775,738

MACHINE FOR' FORMING GAN COVERS Filed Dec. '7, 192e ashun-snm 4 Fig. lO.

Hurry Se b el Ivn/M2M A A'ys.

. Patented Sept'. 16, 1930 UNITED As'rpxrEs:

PATENT OFFICE HARRY SEBLL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHSETTS, AsSIGNoB-'ro ARTHUR H. PARKER, OF

- l LEXINGTON,- MASSACHUSETTS MACHINE FORFORMING CAN COVERS Application filed December 7, 1928. Serial No.`324,`391.

This invention relates to a machine for forming covers for use in sealing cans, and particularly to a machine designed to form can covers of the type shown in my Patent #1,723,304, August 6 1929, and copending application, vSerial iNO. 308,658, filed September 27, 1928. f

The can cover illustrated in said patent and application is of the type which is sealed w'to the can bodyby means of a U-shaped sealing strip which embraces sealing flanges formed on the cover and body respectively; and the particular cover shown-in said applications is formed` not only with the sealing flanges which mates the sealing flange of the can body and is enclosed by the U,- shaped sealing strip, but also with a supplemental sealing flange which overlies the upper-leg ofthe sealing strip and thus augments the sealing action of thesealing strip and main sealing flanges.

The device of the presen-t application is a machine for forming the can cover with the main and supplemental, sealing flanges.

In order tov give anunderstanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected em-bodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

. Fig. lis a'v'ertical sectional view of a machine ernbodyng my invention; i

Fig. 2 is a section on the lin'e 2 2, Fig; 1;

Fig. 3 isV a plan view'of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5,'and 6 are fragmentary sectional views showing different stepsl in the Opera- -tion of making the cancover;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view showing the manner in which the cover is released from the chuck;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the can cover showing its shape before it is acted upon by thev machine herein illustrated;

Fig. 9. is a similar view showing the can cover after it has been acted upon'byv the 'l machine and the main and supplemental seal-V l ing flanges have been formed therein; Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view `showing the manner in which the machine operates is designed to form the covers for cans hav.-

ing the vconstruction illustrated in my abovementioned Patent #1,723,304 and cO-pendl ing application, Serial No. 308,658. This cover before it is sealed into the can is shown in Fig. 9 and it comprises a body portion 1 having aln opstanding curb 2 which is adapted to fit within the mouthv of the can and it is also provided with the two'outwardly-extcnding flanges 3 and 4. The flange 3 constitutes the main sealing lflange which mates the sealing flange ol the can body, and when the cover-is scaled into the can the main sealing flange 3 and the sealing flange of the can body are enclosed by a U-shaped sealing strip. The flange 4 is a supplemental sealing flange which overlies the sealing strip when the can is sealed.

Fig. 13 shows a can sealed witlrthe cover illustrated in Fig. 9 and 4upon referring to said Figure it will be seen `that the main sealing flange 3 lies flatly against the sealing .flange 5 of the can 6, and the -two sealing flanges '3 and 5 are embraced by a U-shaped scaling strip 7,and itV will also be seen that thc supplemental sealing flange 4 is pressed tightly against and overlies the upper leg of vthe sealingstrip 7.

`The can cover is .formed from a disk of sheet inet-al, and the first step in its formation is to subject it to the action of suitable dies which give it the shape shown in' Fig. 8. -In this condition the can cover 1 has the upi standing curb 2 and it -has the outwardlyextending. portion'8 and an annular skirt 9 depending from the periphery of the portion 8. The next step in the orming of the cover is to deform the skirt portion 9 so as to produce the two scalino' flanges 3 and 4, these flanges being somewhat separated from each other so as to readily permit the upper leg of the sealing strip to be introduced between them in the operation of sealing the can.

The machine forming the present invention has for its object to act on the can covers when they are in the formative stage shown in Fig. 8 and to deform the skirt 9 so as to produce therefrom the two scaling flanges 3 and 4 as shown in Fig. 9.

The machine con'iprises a chuck device for holding the can cover while being acted upon and a, forming blade which cci-operates with the chuck in formimT an annular groove 13 in the skirt 9 thereby to produce the two flanges 3 and 4.

The operative parts of the machine are carried by a suitable frame 10, herein shown as mounted on a stand or base 11. This frame 10 is herein illustrated as circular in shape and it carries at its periphery a curved forming blade 12 by which the annular groove 13 in the skirt 9 is formed for the purpose of producing the two flanges 3 and 4.

This forming blade is herein shown as of a length to extend slightly less than one-half the circumference of the table and it is held in position between two clamping rings 24 and 94 which are clamped together by suitable. clamping bolts which also serve to secure these clamping rings to the stationary frame 10.

The forming blade is so supported that its concave edge 41, which is its operative edge, projects slightly inwardly beyond the inner faces of the clamping rings 24, 94 as shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6. i

Mounted on the frame 10 is a rotary table 14 to which is secured one or more carriers 17, which carrier supports a chuck which is adapted to hold the cover while. it is being acted upon by the forming blade 12. This table 14 is rotatably mounted on the frame 10 and-it may conveniently support a plurality of carriers and chucks. T he table 14 is herein shown v as fast to a hollow shaft or sleeve 34 which is rotatably mounted in the frame 10 and is provided at its lower end with a beveled gear 5() meshing with a driving gear 51 fast on a driving shaft 52 that is journalcd in the base 11. The shaft 52 may be driven f rom any suitable source as by means oi a driving pulley 53.

The chucks are each mounted for rotation on the table 14 and each chuck is situated near thc periphery of the table. T he orbital moven'icut of each chuck resulting from the rotation of the table carries the chuck bodily in a path closely adjacent the edge of the blade 12. As each chuck is rotated by its or bital movement the cover carried by the chuck will be rotated and the skirt 9 of the cover will be rolled along the edge 41 of the blade 12, an operation which results in forming the exterior annular groove 13 in said skirt.

Each chuck comprises two chuck members 15 and 16 which are shaped to hold the can cover between them. Each chuck member 15, which is the lower chuck member, is freely rotatable in its carrier 17 and said chuck member 15 is formed with a recess 18 of a shape to receive the body of the can cover, the curb 2 of said cover fitting against the walls of said recess 18. This chuck member 15 has an exterior diameter of a size to fit within the skirt 9 of thc cover when the latter is in its formative stage shown in Fig. 8, as clearlysecn at the right in Fig. 4, so that when the cover in its formative stage shown in Fig. 8 is in position in the chuck member 15 the lower edge of the skirt 9 will lie against the outer face of the chuck member.

This chuck member 15 is also provided with the beveled face 45 which forms with the upper chuck member 16 a groove which co-operates with the edge 41 of the forming blade to deform the skirt 9 of the can cover thereby te produce the annular groove 13 therein.

The upper chuck member 16 is of a shape to fit the upper face of the can cover as shown in F ig. 4, that is, said chuck member has the lower cylindrical portion 19 fitting Within the curb 2 of the can cover, and the cnlarged portion 2O having a beveled under face 21 that lits the outwardly-extending portion 8 of the can cover. This beveled face 2l forms with the beveled face 45 of the lower chuck member l5 an annular groove when the chuck members are in closed relation. Said groove is in the same plane as the forming blade .12 and it co-operates with the forming edge 41 of said blade to produce the annular groove 13 in the ,skirt 9 of thc can cover as will be presently described.

Means are provided for positively rotating the chuck member 16 as the table turns, and for this purpose said member is provided with gear teeth 22 which mesh with gear teeth 23 formed on the interior of the clamping ring 24, and which, therefore, constitutes a, stationary ring gear. The upper chuck member 16 is movable toward and from the lower chuck member 15, thus permitting the chuck members to be separated from each other to provide 'for placing a cover into the chuck or removing it therefrom, and also permitting them to be closed together to hold the can cover between them while the groove4 13 is being formed in the skirt thereof.

Each upper chuck member 16 is shown as having a stem 25 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 26 mounted on an arm 27 extending from the carrier 17. The stem 25 is movable axially in the bearing 26 thus providing for the required relative movement of the chuck members toward and from each other. v

Iny the construction lherein shownv each chuck is opened and closed automatically at definite positions in the rotative movement of the tableeach chuck being opened at a proper point to receive -an unformed can cover such as shown in Fig. 8 and then being closed to hold thecover as the table rotates and while the cover is being acted 17, the inner end of each lever being pro-.-

. vided with a roll y which is acted upon by two stationary cam members 31 and 32.

These cam members are shown as fast on a .stationary shaft 33 which extends through A the hollow shaft or sleeve 34` and is anchored at its lower end in the portion 35 of the base 11. The under cam member 31 is provided with a high portion 36 and a low portion 37 land the upper cam member 32 is shaped to maintain each roll 30 in contact with the low portion 37. When the roll 30 of each lever 28 is operating on the low ortion 37 of the cam member 31 and is con ned thereby the upper cam member 32, the corresponding chuck member 16 will be held in its raised position-as shown in Fig. 1 and at the right 1n Fig. 2.

When during the rotation of the table 14 the roll 30 of any llever 28 runs out from under the upper cam 32 and up the incline 38 onto the high portion 36 of the lower cam 31 then the lever 28 will be rocked about'itspivot 29 thus lowering the chuckV member 16 -into its closed position, as Ashown at the left in Fig. 2 and in Figs. 4 and 5, in which position the can cover will be firmly held between the chuck members.

In the operation of thedevice a can cover 1 in the formative stage shown in Fig. 8 will be placed between thechuck members 15. and

16 when theyl are in their open position shown in Fig. 1, and as the table 14 rotates these chuck members will be automatically closed onto the can cover when the roll 30 runs up the incline face 38 onto the high .portion 36, This closing of each chuck occurs )ust before the chuck reaches the end 40 of the forming l blade 12. During the continued rotation of the table 14 each chuck with its can cover K is moved along the forming edge 41 of the forming blade 12 and during this movement the chuck is rotated by the engagement of the teeth 22 thereof with the gear teeth 23 of the stationary ring gear 24. This rotation of the table 14 and the rotative movement of the chuck about `its own axis causes the skirt 9 of the cover to be rolled along the forming edge 41 as indicated by the full and dotted line positions in the diagrammatic view Fig. 10. In this iigure the arrow a indicates the direction of rotation of the table or of each chuck as a unit While the arrow' b indicates the rotative movement of each chuck about its own axis. l y

The forming edge 41 of the forming blade 12 is shaped so that from the end 40 to about the point 42' said edge is slightly eccentric to the axis of rotation of the table, while from about the point 42 to about the point 43- said edge is concentric with said axis of rol tation. The length of the eccentric portion I of the forming edge 41 of the blade is about the same as the circumferential measurement of thevskirt 9 of thecan cover so that when the can cover is moving from the end 40 of the blade to a point indicated by the dotted lines c, Fi 10, said can cover will make approximate y one rotation. As each can cov er comes into engagement with the end 40 of the forming blade and advances along the edge 41 thereof toward the` p'oint c, said edge will co-operate with'the beveled faces 21 and 45 of thechuck to 4deform theskirt 9 of the can coverA and bend it inwardly thereby forming the'l groove 13.- -This groove will be formed progressively around the can and when the can cover reaches about the point indicated by the dotted line position I c it will have formed therein a groove -13 of progressive de th as shown in Fig. 11.

At the point w ere the can -cover first engages the forming blade said skirt will'be slightly indented as shown at the left in Fig. 4 and at the point d-in Fig. 11, while by the time the can cover has been advanced to the ositionc, Fig. 10, the indentation formed y the edge 41 of thevforming blade will be substantially the full depth as shown at e in Fig. 11. Bythe time the can cover has been carried to the position shown by the dottedfline position f, Fig. .10, the skirt 9 will have been deformed toform a groove-13 of uniform depth throughout its circum'- ference. In thus forming the groove 13 the upper portion 44 of the skirt which forms the upper side of the groove 13 is folded. v

back against the outwardly-extending portion 8 of the cover thereby to form the two- I ply sealing flange 4, whilethe lower portion of the skirt which forms the under side of the groove`13is `forced against the inclined face 45'of the lower chuck member thereby forming the mainI sealing flange 3. of the cover. p

During this operation the 'portion 8 of the cover is backed by the inclined face 21 ofA the chuck 16, and the provision of the in-` clined face 45 on the lower chuck member provides a forming groove in the chuck memllO 4 avviare@ open the chuck is accomplished through thev .operation of the cams 31, 32. When each chuck reaches about the tposition shown at f in Fig. lO the roll 30 o the corresponding 35 arm 28 runs ofi' from the high portion 36 of the cani 31 and engages the inclined face 80 of the cam member 32 with the result that the roll is forced downwardly beneath the cam 32 and is held thereby against the low portion 37 of the cam 31 as shown at the right in Fig. 2. This operation raises the upper chuck member suiiiciently to permit the formed can cover to be removed.

In order to prevent the can cover from being retained by either chuck member when they are separated I propose to warp slightly the delivery end 46 of the blade 12, said end being bent upwardly above the plane of the main portion 'of the blade, as shown in Fig. 7. As each can cover is carried along the` warp' l l `:very end 46 of the blade said cover will be raised out of the lower chuck` member as the chuck members are opened and will also be withdrawn from the upper chuck member. The warped shape of the end 46 is such as to free each can cover from the chuck members by the time-the can cover passes oli' from the end of the blade.

f To facilitate the insertion of the unforined 4 0 can covers into the machine and their delivery therefrom I propose to arrange theframe 10 at an inclination and l have provided said frame with an inlet opening 48 at its upper side through which the can covers may be delivered to the chucks and have provided said frame with a. delivery opening 49 at the lower side through which the formed can covers may be delivered. This` delivery opening 49 is placed just beyond the end 46 5o of the blade 12 so that as the table rotates the formed covers will automatically giavitate through the opening 49 after leai-'ing the blade 46, the warped end of the blade having lifted the formed cover out of the lower chuck member 15.

The employment of a plurality of carriers 17, each vhaving a chuck, provides for operatingon a plurality of can covers simultaneously. In this way the'can covers may be rapidl shaped.

let opening 48 to the discharge opening 49.

While the chucks are moving from the discharge opening 49 back to the inlet opening 48 they will be held open and will be idle. have shown herein a chute 60 for deliverin the can covers l to the inlet opening 48 and another chute 6l adapted to receive the formed covers from' the discharge opening.

1. In a machine for forming can covers, the combination with a rotary chuck adapted to hold and rotate a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, of means co-operating with said chuck to form an annular exterior groove in said skirt portion.

2. In a machine for forming can covers, the combination'with a rotary chuck adapted to hold and rotate a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, of a forming blade co-operating with said chuck to form an annular exeral skirt portion, said chuck having an annular groove which is spanned by the skirt portion and is located 1n the plane of the forming blade, means to relativel move the blade and chuck in the direction o the length vof the blade and simultaneously to rotate the chuck, whereby the blade and groove in the chuck co-operate to deform the skirt portion of the can cover.

5. In a machine for forming can covers, the combination with a forming blade, of a chuck adapted to hold a can cover provided with a peripheral skirt portion, said chuck having an annular groove which is s anned.

by said skirt portion and which is situated in the plane of the blade, means to ymove the chuck bodily in the direction of the length of the blade. means to cause rotation of the chuck by the odily movement thereof, thereby to form an annular groove in said skirt portion.

6. In a machine for forming can covers, the combination with a forming blade, of a chuck comprising two chuck members adapted to hold between them a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, said chuck having an annular groove which is spanned by said skirt portion and which is in the plane of the forming blade, means for moving the chuck longitudinally of the forming blade, and for simultaneously rotating the chuck to cause the forming blade to act on the skirt portion of the can cover and form therein an annular groove, and means to separate the chuck members to permit the formed can covers to be discharged therefrom.

7 In a machine for forming can covers, the combination with a forming blade, of a chuck comprising two chuck members adapted to hold between them a can cover having. a peripheral skirtportion, said chuck having an annular groove which is spanned by said skirt portion and which is in the plane ofthe forming blade, means for moving the chuck longitudinally of the forming blade, and for simultaneously rotating the chuck to cause the forming blade to act on the skirt portion of the can cover and form therein an annular groove, and means actuated by the movement of the chuck to separate the chuck members to permit the formed can covers to' be discharged therefrom.

lzo

l8. In a machine for-formingcan covers, .the combinationV with a rotary table` of a chuck mounted thereon and adapted to hold a' can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, a `stationary forming blade situated peripherally of said table and adapted to engage the skirt portion of a; can cover carried by the chuck, means to rotate the table, and means torotate the chuck about its own axis as the table rotates, whereby the forming blade will form an annular groove in the skirt portion of the can cover;

9. In a machine for forming can covers, the combination with a rotary table, of a chuck carried thereby and comprising two chuck members adapted to hold between Y them a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, said chuck having an annular groove which is spanned by the skirt portion, a stationary forming blade situated peripherally of the table and in the plane of said groove, means to rotate .the table, and means to cause rotation ofthe chuck about its axis by the rotative movement of the table whereby the skirt portion of the can cover is deformed to produce an annular4 groove therein.

10. In a machine for forming can covers, the combination with .a rotary table, of a chuck carried thereby land comprising two chuck members adapted to hold between them a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, said chuck having an annular groove which is spanned by the skirt portion, a stationary forming blade situated peripherally of the table and in the plane of said groove, means to rotate the table, means to cause rotation of said chuck about its axis by the rotation of the table whereby the skirt portion of the can cover is deformed to produce an annular groove therein, and means to separate the chuck members from each other after the can cover hasbeen thus deformed.

11. In a machine for forming can covers, the combination with a rotaryblade, of a chuck carried thereby and comprising two chuck members adapted to hold between them a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, said chuck having an annular groove which is spanned by .the skirt portion, a stationary forming blade ysituated peripherally of the table and in the plane of said groove, means to cause `rotation of the chuck about its axis by the rotation of the table whereby the skirt portion of the can cover is deformed to produce an annular groove therein, and means to separate the chuck members from each other after the can cover has been thus-deformed, said forming blade having a warped portion which operates to remove the formed can cover from the chuck memberswhen they are separated from each other.

12. In a machine for forming can covers, thefcombination with a rotary chuck adapted to hold and rotate a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, of a forming blade .co-operating with said chuck' to form an annular external groove in the skirt portion vas the chuck rotates.

13. In a machine for forming can covers, the comblnation with a chuck comprising two chuck members adapted to hold between them a can cover having a peripheral skirt portion, said chuck presenting an annular groove which is spanned by the skirt portion, means to rotate the chuck, and means co-operating therewith to force the skirt portion of the can into said groove thereby to form an annular external groove in said skirt portion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY SEBELL.. 

